Chocolate Cinnamon Skeleton Cookies (Printable)
Spiced chocolate cinnamon treats decorated as spooky skeletons with royal icing.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Royal Icing
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1 large egg white
12 - 2-3 tablespoons water
# How to Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until dough forms. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
04 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes until firm.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Roll chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out skeleton shapes using cookie cutter and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
08 - Beat egg white with powdered sugar and water until smooth and pipeable consistency is achieved. Adjust water as needed.
09 - Transfer icing to piping bag fitted with fine tip. Pipe skeleton designs onto cooled cookies and allow to dry completely before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The chocolate cinnamon combo creates this warming spicy sweetness that feels like autumn in cookie form
- Kids and adults both get weirdly excited about decorating skeletons and the results look impressive with zero artistic skill required
02 -
- The dough must be thoroughly chilled or it will stick to everything and your skeleton shapes will lose their definition
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper instead of on your counter to avoid adding too much extra flour which makes the cookies tough
03 -
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking so all the skeletons darken evenly
- Add a pinch of cayenne to the dough for a sneaky heat that makes people wonder what that special something is